Changes to handicap conditions for the new racing season

Racing Victoria (RV) advises that, following consultation with the Australian Trainers Association (ATA) and the Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA), a series of changes to the handicap system will be introduced from the start of the new racing season this Friday, 1 August, 2025. 

These amendments follow the recent outcome of the review into the handicap conditions for the Sportsbet Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m), which saw the minimum allotted weight for both marquee contests increased from 50kg to 51kg and the minimum topweight raised from 58kg to 59kg. 

From the start of the new season, in order to provide alignment, the minimum topweight for all Group 1 handicap races will now also be set at 59kg, with the minimum topweight at acceptance time remaining unchanged at 57kg. 

However, should the weights need to be raised, the minimum allotted weight of 52kg and a 5kg weight spread will be maintained. This differs from the previous conditions for Group 1 handicap races, which had determined that any increase at acceptance time was uniform at both the top and bottom of the weight scale.

Other Group 1 handicaps conducted in Victoria are the Sportsbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m), Yulong Newmarket Handicap (1200m), Sportsbet Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and Hyland Race Colours Toorak Handicap (1600m).

The conditions for Group 2 and two-year-old handicap races will remain with a minimum topweight of 59kg, a minimum topweight of 58kg at acceptance time and a minimum allotted weight of 53kg for Group 2 races and 54kg for two-year-old races. 

All other handicap races, from Group 3 down to Benchmark 52 grade, will have a minimum topweight of 60kg and a minimum weight of 54kg when handicaps are declared with a minimum topweight of 59kg at acceptance time.

These amendments will allow for a consistent 5kg weight spread across all races at acceptance time for TAB day meetings, which represents a 1kg increase on the current system. 

The table below summarises the new weight policy for all professional handicap races run in Victoria from the start of the 2025-26 season: